Georgia’s Auditor General Says Interior Ministry Is Biased
Georgia’s State Audit Office Head, Lasha Tordia, who was physically assaulted several days ago, says that Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) is “biased” while investigating case of his attack.
Tordia made the statement after MIA published a midterm report regarding the case of his abuse.
Auditor General says that he was attacked by Otar Partskhaladze, and his security personnel in El Centro nightclub in central Tbilisi. He believes his abuse is related to a specific case that the Auditor’s Office is investigating. According to him, the case involves the transfer of plots of land in 2016, and Partskhaladze’s name is involved in the case.
The materials, released by MIA show that it was Tordia, who started the fight at the night club.
“The MIA is an interested, biased party, and is interpreting the conditions of the incident. However, from this footage it is once again affirmed that the attack came from Pirtskhaladze and his security members. The MIA is intentionally publishing the kind of footage where it is unclear who attacked first. There are many other cameras around that building which can give a closer look about what actually happened in that club. I demand that this footage be publicized,” Tordia stressed.
Auditor added that the ministry wants to turn the case against him.
“It is ridiculous to describe Partskhaladze as the one who was assaulted. According to the so-called neutral witnesses, Interior Ministry says that I was the first who began conflict. It means now we are one a different stage. Initially it was said that nothing special had happened; now they say I was the attacker. We observe very interesting developments,” he said.
Tordia also addresses all international organizations and diplomatic corps to get involved in the process in time.
“I would like to assure Otar Partskhaladze that he cannot get away with the situation,” he stressed and addressed the Georgian Parliament with request of creation an investigative commission concerning the incident.
Moreover, the State Audit Office says that alleged corrupt deal took place between the Mayor’s Office of Tbilisi and Partskhaladze.
The interim information over the case, released by the Audit Office says that the ex-prosecutor General received five times more compensation from the state in 2016, than it was necessary, for the plots, owned by Partskhaladze’s company, which was damaged during road constructions in 2012.
Partskhaladze and Tbilisi Mayor, Davit Narmania reject allegations and claim the deal was legal.
The mayor says that the plot was allocated for Partskhaladze on the basis of the experts’ assessments.
The opposition sees signs of corruption in the deal. They say the state budget saw a huge loss as a result of the deal.
The opposition MPs of Tbilisi City Council are going to gather signatures in order to summon Narmania to Sakrebulo for detailed explanations.
By Thea Morrison